Jaye Featherby

Robin Fleming

Gaye Williams & David Pocock

The Sunshine Coast International Readers and Writers Festival Inc is hosting a special Silent Art Auction of a very special artwork by Aboriginal artist Jandamarra Cadd, of the Sunshine Coast. This stunning piece was commissioned by the SCIRWF as a signature art ‘logo’ for our inaugural 2016 festival. The work is ‘unique’ in that the piece is a landscape depiction of the Sunshine Coast as per our festival’s brief - Jandamarra is an acclaimed dot portraiture artist. Our festival has Jandamarra's blessings in passing on this artwork to a new owner.

The work is titled: “Ancient Dreaming, Tomorrow’s Vision” Dimensions: (85cm x 100cm acrylic on canvas) Artist: Jandamarra Cadd Reserve Price: $3000 (Three Thousand Dollars)Auction opens Wednesday, July 5 and ends Thursday, July 27 at 5pm• Bids can be emailed to: enjoy@sunshinecoastreadersandwritersfestival.com with “Silent Auction Bid” clearly stated in the email subject line.• All bidders will be notified of the auction outcome on Friday, July 28.• This beautiful work is currently on display at Coolum Library, in Park Street, Coolum.

Jandamarra’s story of the artwork:“Within this painting is the depiction of Mt Coolum, Mt Ninderry, Maroochy River and the Ocean at Coolum Beach surrounded by the natural bushland as to show the relationship and cycles of life that have been ongoing for millions of years. This painting is done entirely of dots and, as much as it is the dots that create the form, we see with our eyes it is the spaces between these dots that speak volumes about our creative, visionary influences and of our origins that are interwoven into the fabric of our connection to Mother Nature, our community, our family and a spiritual affinity that holds all these things together. The dot work in the mountain range symbolises the gatherings and ceremonies that have been occurring here for tens of thousands of years. It also represents meeting place and how the old and new custodians of this land today are coming together to continue celebration of our connection to country, community, family and a spiritual affinity that bind all these fundamentals together.As the ocean spray from the surf rises into the clouds and precipitates in the mountains and flows into the river and back to the ocean for the process to begin again. We hold the potential to see the value that this not only holds for us but for every proceeding generation to come. And as we play an integral part in maintaining this timeless natural creative homeostasis, we invite others locally, nationally and internationally to come and share and celebrate. This constant renewal and flow of life that reminds us of the part we play in keeping our environment clean and sacred. As the visionaries and dreamers come to gather in this special Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi land, the ancient wisdom and dreams of the landmarks will be the foundation for our future.”

• Jandamarra Cadd (b. 1973) is an award-winning Aboriginal Artist with his origins being the Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Warung People in Victoria. He was introduced to painting at the age of 15 and credits this tool of expression as his survival from a challenging childhood treated as a second-class citizen in his own land. Jandamarra uses a variety of styles and mediums, favouring oil on canvas, with his unique blend of traditional aboriginal art techniques along with a contemporary and inventive portraiture. Painting has been a way of life that has enabled him to express his creativity and storytelling of the universal truth of connection. In many of his paintings of the human condition, he seeks to be a peaceful voice for the oppressed and minorities. His focus is to use portraiture in a way to allow the viewer a glimpse into the depths of humanity and the expansive expression of the individual soul.• Jandamarra was a finalist in the Australia’s prestigious 2014 Archibald Prize portraiture awards and was an entrant in the 2016 award. His other awards include: *Finalist in The Kennedy Prize 2016; *Finalsit in The Clayton Utz Art Award 2016; *Finalist in The Sunshine Coast Art Prize; *Winner of People’s Choice – Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2016; *Finalist in The Back Swan Art Prize 2015; *Winner of the SJOGHC Online People’s Choice Prize 2015; *Finalist for Indigenous Artist of the Year - The Deadly Awards 2013 *Finalist for Indigenous Artist of the Year - The Deadly Awards 2011 *Que Sera Sera Exhibition (Toowoomba) - People's Choice Award 2010 *Wondai Art Gallery Through Our Eyes - Collaborative exhibition People's Choice Award 2008 *National Art Award (Canberra) - Drawn Together Indigenous Employees Award 2007 *Arts Spectacular Competition - Highly Recommended 2007 *Faces of Arranounbi, Redcliffe Cultural Centre - The People's Choice Award 2005 View Jandamarra’s work at http://jandamarrasart.com• For further details please contact SCIRWF founder and director Wendy O’Hanlon on 0435 877 617.

Our 2017 second-annual Sunshine Coast International Readers and Writers Festival at Coolum on August 12 and 13 is now calling for volunteers to help stage this exciting international festival right here on the Sunshine Coast. Our SCIRWF committee is hosting a Volunteers Induction Night at Coolum Bowls Club on Tuesday, July 18 from 6pm to 8pm.

Volunteer roles include distributing posters and flyers around the region prior to the festival; manning venues and checking for armbands, the go-to guys for festival information, looking after our guest creatives from around the world, helping with set-up and set-down... many various roles. Volunteers must commit to a 4 or 6-hour roster either from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday (before and after); or Saturday night from 5pm to 11pm.

There are many positives to being a volunteer, including meeting many amazing creatives from not only this region, but around the world - and having a lot of fun!

Exciting news! Our Festival is launching our 2018 SCIRWF Short Story Competition at this year's festival!! The winner will be invited to present at our 2018 festival and the Top 20 entries will be published in our 2018 SCIRWF Short Story Anthology. Prizes include a publishing package, as well as access to an online writing course. The competition is sponsored by Aishah Macgill (Finite Publishing) and Dr Eileen Herbert-Goodall (Field of Words). More details about this exciting opportunity are coming very soon, but a sneak peak of the competition reveals that the theme "Love" - or any interpretation of the term - needs to be incorporated. The story must not have been published previously (on a personal blog is fine) and the length is 1500 to 3000 words (not including the title).

Such an exciting addition to our 2017 festival program - the Sunshine Coast's first-ever official poetry slam championships being held in association with the Queensland Poetry Festival, Australian Poetry Slam and the national Word Travels!!! You too could become the Sunshine Coast's first official poetry slam champion and go on to compete in the State championships in late August and perhaps the nationals in October!! Our Sunshine Coast championships are part of a 10-heat series across Queensland.

SCIRWF is hosting two workshops prior to the championships which will be held at Coolum Civic Centre on August 12 from 6pm.

WORKSHOP ONE: FRIDAY, JULY 28 from 6pm: Slam poetry workshop, performances and music at Yandina's eclectic The Shared venue from 6pm until late. Hosted by 2014 Australian Poetry Slam champion Zohab Zee Khan, this two-hour workshop will help prepare emerging performers if they wish to compete at our official championships. The evening includes soulful music by born-and-bred North Arm musician Jordan Solomon from 6.30pm and performances by national award-winning slam poets Zohab Zee Khan from New South Wales and the Sunshine Coast's own Gabriella Salmon.

WORKSHOP TWO, SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 from 1pm to 3pm: This workshop will be held at the festival's Poet's Corner marquee in Coolum's Jack Morgan Park. During the workshops, Gabriella will mentor and teach emerging slam poets and performance poets to polish their on-stage performances in order to achieve their best performance outcome at the August 12 Sunshine Coast Poetry Slam Championships. (Workshop attendees could you please register at our festival office at Coolum Civic Centre before 1pm on Saturday, August 12 to collect your free workshop armbands.) Please note: Workshop students are not automatically included in the SC championship heat line-up on the Saturday - contestants must register between 6pm and 7pm on this Saturday night, August 12, at the Coolum Civic Centre festival office.

The first-ever official Sunshine Coast Poetry Slam Championships featuring an exhilarating evening of slam poetry and original singer-songwriters

Saturday night, August 12 from 6pm at Coolum Civic Centre

6.30pm to 11pm: For those who love music and the power of words, this special event is for you! Our festival is very proud to present the Sunshine Coast's first-ever annual Sunshine Coast Poetry Slam championships featuring 2014 Australian Poetry Slam champion Zohab Zee Khan as host and award-winning Sunshine Coast slam poet Gabriella Salmon plus performances by our region's most exciting original singer-songwriters Barry Charles, Jay Bishoff, Andrea Kirwan, Sharon Brooks and amazing hip-hop band The Lyrical to end the night on a high. These championships are an official heat of the annual Queensland Poetry Slam championships organised by the Queensland Poetry Festival, the State Library of Quensland, the Australian Poetry Slam and the national Word Travels. The top two winners from our Sunshine Coast heat will take part in the Queensland Poetry Slam championships at Brisbane's Judith Wright Centre on Sunday, August 27 as part of the Queensland Poetry Festival. The top two performers from the QLD State Final will fly to Sydney for the Australian final at the Opera House later in the year.

Slam poetry contestants must register in person at our festival office at Coolum Civic Centre between the hours of 6pm and 7pm on the night (Saturday, August 12) to compete on stage in the Sunshine Coast Poetry Slam championships. This is a separately ticketed event (except for Season Pass holders). The maximum number of contestants is 20 and these contestants will not be charged the ticket entry price. Also note that this event is licensed with alcohol on sale plus platters of cheese and local produce. Under 18yo must be accompanied by an adult.

The Sunshine Coast International Readers and Writers Festival is an exciting event for the Sunshine Coast, but it can't continue to run and grow without your support. Please donate directly to our festival bank account - Name: SCIRWF Inc; BSB: 633-000; Account No: 156916090. Every little bit helps - even the price of a cup of coffee. Thank you for supporting this worthy cause. A BIG thank-you from the SCIRWF team!